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Homemade Marshmallows: Recipes and Tips

Make your own light and fluffy marshmallows, plus easy ways to add color, flavor, and mix-ins, and how to cut marshmallows into fun shapesby Lauren Salkeld, with additional contributions by Kemp Minifie and Kendra Vizcaino-Lico

W hether for hot cocoa, s'mores, or on their own, soft, sweet marshmallows are always a crowd-pleaser. If you're a fan of these fluffy treats, you know that supermarkets stock their shelves with bags of mini and full-size marshmallows, while upscale markets and restaurants offer versions in various colors, shapes, and flavors. But did you know that it's really easy to make marshmallows at home?

You will need a stand mixer and a bit of patience as marshmallows need to sit for several hours before they're ready, but the recipe requires just a handful of pantry ingredients and very little active prep time. Plus, once you master the basic technique, it's a cinch to add colors,flavors, or mix-ins, and it's even easier to cut your homemade marshmallows into shapes. Making marshmallows, especially when you start creating different colors and shapes, is also a fun and easy kitchen project for kids.

In this guide to DIY marshmallows, we'll share a classic recipe, plus several fun variations. Experiment with the different options and mix and match them to create your own custom marshmallows.

What You'll Need:

In addition to a saucepan, sharp knife, rubber spatula, pastry brush, and cutting board, you'll need the following items to make marshmallows at home:Candy thermometer: Also known as a deep-fry thermometer, a candy thermometer measures the temperature of hot sugar. Look for one that features a metal clip for attaching to the side of the pan and make sure the temperature markings are easy to read.4 1/2-quart or larger stand mixer and a whisk attachment: A large, sturdy stand mixer with low, medium, and high settings is essential for marshmallow making. You'll use the whisk attachment to beat the marshmallows into their fluffy pillowlike consistency.9-inch square pan: A 9-inch square pan allows you to make 64 bite-size marshmallows (or 36 two-bite marshmallows) with our basic recipe. You can use a larger pan, up to 9 by 13 inches, to make slightly thinner marshmallows, which are perfect for cutting out shapes. We prefer metal, straight-sided pans so that all the marshmallows have straight edges, but a pan with rounded corners or slightly flared sides will also work. If you don't mind slightly rounded edges and corners, you can use a ceramic baking dish—one advantage to ceramic is that the marshmallows will slip right out without any sticking. Small fine-mesh sieve: This handy kitchen tool is perfect for dusting the pan, the cutting board, and the marshmallows with confectioners' sugar.

The Basic Marshmallow Recipe

Making marshmallows is a quick and easy process, but it involves specific timing and extremely hot sugar, so it helps to get all the equipment ready and the ingredients measured before you begin. Start by using a pastry brush to lightly brush your pan with vegetable oil then use a fine-mesh sieve to dust the pan with confectioners' sugar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the gelatin in water. Meanwhile, bring the granulated sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt to a boil, while gently stirring to dissolve the sugar. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, and continue boiling the sugar syrup, without stirring, until it reaches soft-ball stage, or 240°F. Remove the pan from the heat and wait for the bubbles to slightly subside then turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the hot sugar into the gelatin mixture. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and continue beating for about five minutes or until the mixture is thick and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Beat in the vanilla and then scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, using wet fingers to spread and smooth it.

The next step requires patience: Let the marshmallows stand at room temperature until they are no longer sticky and you can gently pull them away from the sides of the pan. This takes about four hours, but marshmallows can also sit overnight. While it's not required, you can cover the pan of marshmallows loosely with aluminum foil. Avoid using plastic wrap as it tends to droop and stick to the marshmallows. For more specific instructions, see our Homemade Marshmallows recipe.

Cutting and Storing Marshmallows

When the marshmallows are ready to be cut, dust a cutting board with confectioners' sugar then use a rubber spatula to pull the marshmallows away from the pan and invert them on to the cutting board. If they stick to the pan, carefully slip a spatula underneath the marshmallows to loosen them. Once they're turned over on the cutting board, dust the unmolded marshmallows with more confectioners' sugar. Our recipes call for 1 cup confectioners' sugar, but you can also use 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar sifted with ¼ cup cornstarch, a combination that's slightly better at preventing sticking.

When cutting marshmallows, a long thin knife, such as a 6-inch utility knife, makes the process effortless, but a chef's knife also works. To prevent sticking, brush the knife with vegetable oil and dust it with confectioners' sugar—continue dusting the knife with confectioners' sugar in between cuts as needed. To get 64 bite-size marshmallows, cut the square lengthwise into eight strips, then cut the strips crosswise into eighths. For 36 larger marshmallows, cut the square lengthwise into six strips then cut the strips into sixths. Once the squares are cut, coat them in additional confectioners' sugar, shaking off any excess.

Store homemade marshmallows, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper, in an airtight container. If kept in a dry place at cool room temperature, they should keep for about a month. Marshmallows that include mix-ins or that have been dipped in chocolate will have a slightly shorter shelf life.